66 WAYS OP THE SIX-FOOTED 



showing conclusively that it is the function of royalty 

 rather than the person that is respected. 



The Workers and Citizens 



The workers constitute by far the greater part of the 

 insect societies ; as their name implies, they carry on 

 the industries and business affairs of the comnlunity. 

 In the case of ants, bees, and wasps the workers are 

 females whose" reproductive organs are undeveloped. 

 Among the termites the workers are both male and 

 female, but with similarly rudimentary reproductive 

 systems. Thus it seems that the bearing of young is 

 found incompatible with business life in insect societies. 



Not so, however, is the care of the young; this is 

 always considered one of the most important of the 

 industries of the commune. Among the bees and ants 

 the care of the young is relegated to the younger 

 sisters, although the elders do not scorn these duties 

 if they find their performance necessary. The first 

 work of the ant or bee just emerged from the pupa 

 state is that of nurse, and a most tender and devoted 

 one she is. Especially are the ant nurses solicitous 

 about the health and comfort of their small charges. 

 In some species the young ant grubs are assorted into 

 sizes, those of the same age being kept in the same 

 apartment, suggesting a graded school. When the ant 



